


Voided

by Dazie_Dreamer



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:33:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27617006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazie_Dreamer/pseuds/Dazie_Dreamer
Summary: Mere hours after Aizen had thoroughly betrayed the Soul Society, he gives Ulquiorra an infiltration mission. One that requires him to slip past Ichigo and his group's defenses, as a soul reaper himself. At first, it's only an order from his master. However, as time passes, it becomes harder to remain passive towards his targets, especially the overly kind red-haired girl.
Relationships: Ulquiorra Cifer/Inoue Orihime
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: Hi everyone, I hope you like this chapter of my new story Voided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just updated this chapter, a few things were added but nothing changed too much. Hope you like it!

Ulquiorra walked down the hall towards the throne room next to a nonsensical babbling Yammy. “So, Ulquiorra, is it true that this time Lord Aizen is returning for good?” he asked, scratching his head as he clumsily strode forwards.

The fourth closed his eyes. Yammy truly got on his nerves when he asked such apparent questions. “Yes, Yammy. Lord Aizen will now reside here, in Las Noches,” he simply explained, feeling his lord’s familiar spiritual pressure growing as the pair drew closer to the throne room.

“He popped up once in a while to check on things here. But now he’s gonna be around all the time. Doncha think it’ll be weird now?” the giant questioned, shoveling some type of nutrients into his mouth in a more than unpleasant manner. Ulquiorra shuffled a few feet closer to the wall to avoid the small crumbs that littered the air around the tenth Espada.

Disgusting, he thought irately. Ever since he was branded by his master, Yammy has taken a liking to him because of his strength. It’s been…a long time since then now, and the idiot still couldn’t understand that the fourth disliked his company. “It only makes sense that he would come here, you idiot.”

“Huh?”

Ulquiorra closed his eyes as he passed through the throne room door. “Lord Aizen has revealed his motives to the Soul Society, marking him as a traitor.” The fourth explained as he took his place next to the other Espada, followed by Yammy, who stood annoyingly close to him, of course. Why choose the least personable Espada of the ten? Even Grimmjow would’ve been a better choice, all things considered.

The room became silent as Aizen spoke of his plans and what he expects to accomplish now that he officially resides here in Las Noches. It was generally what Ulquiorra expected, a general report, like the ones he gave during his periodic check-ins. “So, some kids broke into the Soul Society and managed to destroy all thirteen soul reaper squads,” the giant mocked. “Bunch of useless trash, right, Ulquiorra?”

Before the fourth thought of a response, Aizen called to him from above, “Ulquiorra, I wish to speak with you,” he commanded.

“Hope you ain’t in trouble,” Yammy laughed as he inadvertently stomped out of the throne room, lazily waving to him. Annoying pest, Ulquiorra thought.

“Of course, sir,” Ulquiorra said, bowing respectfully to him.

“I have an important mission that I can only trust you with,” Aizen rested his head in his hand as he gazed down at him. Ulquiorra nodded, giving his master his full attention. “You are going to observe the boy named Ichigo Kurosaki and the people he’s closest to. Actually,” he rested his finger on his lip thoughtfully before appearing directly in front of Ulquiorra. “This would be better referred to as an infiltration mission. I’ve already began preparations for you,” his master started, the corner of his mouth peaking up into a smirk. “There’s a building in the center of Karakura where new citizens tend to live. You will be stationed there so you don’t draw any unwanted attention from your targets.”

Ulquiorra blinked. Aizen can’t possibly mean he wants him to live among humans just to slip past the substitute soul reaper’s defenses. He’d much rather be glued to an ever babbling Yammy while he ate his pointless human nutrients. The fourth inwardly cringed. Both options were the start of something genuinely miserable. Even so, what could he do? His master entrusted him with an _important_ order. “Yes, Lord Aizen,” he began, his voice lackluster and flat. “I will complete this mission without fault.” Ulquiorra’s response seemed to please his master. It didn’t matter what he thought of it, so long as it was an order from Aizen.

“Excellent, head to Szayelaporro’s lab. I’ve already given him his instructions, and after you’re finished there, you’ll return to me. That way, I can inspect his work before I completely seal your hollow self.” The fourth bowed his head respectfully as his master returned to his throne, dismissing him. Ulquiorra turned on his heel, his hands slipping habitually into his pockets as he glided from the room towards Szayelaporro’s lab.

The walk felt almost like a death sentence. Living under the noses of humans and soul reapers alike. The Espada didn’t understand why Aizen chose this course of action; he was far better at observing from a distance and reporting back his findings. Intermingling with the two subpar species seemed like it’d be counterproductive and unfruitful on his end. Perhaps Aizen is looking for something more intimate in nature, something that wouldn’t be perceived from observing from afar. The Espada surmised, nearing his destination.

Ulquiorra shuffled through the laboratory door, noting a fair-skinned body lying motionless on a metal table. He stopped next to it, staring down at the uncanny resemblance this body had to him, yet it was completely different. Its skin wasn’t a pasty white but a perfectly smooth ivory, and his hollow features were nowhere in sight on this body. He places his hand on its sternum, no hole; however, his brand was still visible. The bold, gothic number four contrasted sharply with the body’s skin. At least something familiar remained.

He looked at its face, his index finger tracing an invisible line where the teal tear trails should’ve been. He then turned its head to the left, revealing nothing more than ebony locks of hair. He ran his fingers through it, his frown deepening, noting there wasn’t a mask that hindered him from touching that part of its head.

The Espada straightened himself, exposed hand retreating to the warmth of his hakama pocket. His master truly had Szayelaporro make the perfect disguise for this mission; however, he still wasn’t pleased that he had to reside in that at all. “Oh, Mr. Number Four!” the scientist called as he approached from behind. “Looks like you found my handiwork. Hope you like it, ‘cause I think it’s my best model yet!” The pink-haired man leaned over the body, inspecting it. “You should try it on, can’t keep lord Aizen waiting for too long.”

Ulquiorra said nothing as he placed his hands on his faux body, and with little pressure needed, he was sucked inside like a vacuum. Unexpected was a bit of an understatement, feeling his body stretch and crack as his muscles lined up with the body’s frame. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but it wasn’t miserable, to say the least. The merge completed, and he opened his eyes, staring at the plain white ceiling.

An odd weight encased him as he sat up, moving the body’s stiff limbs. One hand instinctively reached for the black void in his chest, but was only met with soft skin with little give. “No hole there, four, you’re supposed to resemble a soul reaper, so couldn’t put one in,” he suppressed a small laugh, handing him a pile of black fabric. Ulquiorra stared irately at it, knowing exactly what uniform he is holding.

“A shihakusho,” Ulquiorra observed, glancing up to Szayelaporro with the same expressionless face he typically had before being in this body. The fourth quickly slipped the garments on. The hakama had two long fabric pieces sewn into the top of it, resembling his coattails, but they were inverted in color. He tied the white sash, fastening everything in place, and adjusted it till he felt presentable. Ulquiorra headed to the body-length mirror, staring at his unfamiliar reflection. He looked just like those damn pieces of trash now. It was humiliating and far below his rank to hide himself like this.

The fourth swiftly spun from his reflection, refusing to look at it again. “Yes, a slightly modified version, though. You just wouldn’t be you without your fluttering coattails!” The man sang, spinning in a dramatic circle, that same false smile adorning his face. What other modifications did he sew into this flesh suit, the Espada wondered, heading to leave. “It’s heavy isn’t it,” Szayelaporro stated as an eerie sneer pulled at his cheeks.

“Why do you ask?” the fourth questioned, stopping in his tracks, barely glancing at him.

Szayelaporro pushed his glasses up his nose, his grin only deepening, “Well, you see, you still have a gigai to put on when you enter the world of the living.” Ulquiorra looked directly at him. Another body? He should’ve expected as much, remaining only as a soul reaper would raise unavoidable questions. “And wouldn’t it be amusing to see such a high ranking Espada crawling around on all fours, gasping for breath cause of all the physical strain he’s under?!” He laughed, spinning on his toes, “Will Mr. Number Four finally crack? We’ll just have to wait and see!” the scientist howled as he exited from another door in his lab.

Ulquiorra silently left the room. No matter the strain he’s put through he will not be overcome, and will prevail. “My only purpose is to serve Lord Aizen. No amount of pressure will cause me to fail.” He stated aloud as his toneless voice gently echoed through the hall as he strode forwards.

The fourth had collected his Zanpakuto from his quarters and ambled towards the throne room. “Hoho! What’s going on here?” Ulquiorra merely continued forwards, ignoring the pest behind him. He didn’t want to deal with Grimmjow right now. His mood was somber enough, and it always left a bad taste in his mouth when the sixth Espada bothered him. Grimmjow hopped in front of him, his psychotic grin nearly splitting his face in two. “I came to investigate when your spiritual pressure practically vanished. Thought your sorry ass finally killed yourself or something!” he spat, looming over the fourth. “But I come and see you looking like a fucken soul reaper!”

“I haven’t time to deal with your idiocy, Grimmjow,” the fourth said, sidestepping him, and continued walking to the throne room.

“You asshole! Just you wait, I’ll fucking kill you one day and claim your rank as my own. You ain’t stronger than me. You can pretend all you want, Ulquiorra! Now have fun playing soul reaper,” he mocked just as the throne room doors closed.

Ulquiorra bowed to his master, “Szayelaporro did a fantastic job creating this body for you. He even managed to almost completely mask your hollow spiritual pressure. How do you feel?”

Ulquiorra blinked. Feel? “This body is heavier and less nimble,” Aizen smirked as if expecting that answer.

“Think of it like a new pair of shoes,” his master began, his voice light and thoughtful. “When you first put them on their quite stiff, but as you wear them, they form to your feet. It’s the same concept with this body.”

Ulquiorra blinked. “Aside from masking my spiritual pressure, and making me look like a soul reaper, is there anything else I should be aware of while in this body?” he asked, watching his master nod before appearing in front of him.

“Yes, it cuts your powers to a mere fifth of what they are normally,” Aizen started, “You also cannot remove this body.” The Espada’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch. He was trapped in this body with severely reduced spiritual power. That’ll turn out well if engaging with a particularly difficult foe. “It’s for your own protection. If you accidentally slipped out of this body, your mission would be compromised. Therefore, I had Szayelaporro install a safeguard for that reason alone.” He explained, walking a few paces away from him. “Any questions so far?”

Ulquiorra’s hands found their way back into his pockets. For his protection? That sounded doubtful and unlike Aizen to be concerned for one’s safety, even if it was his own subordinate. “Am I capable of using any of my basic hollow abilities while inside this body?”

His lord turned to him, “You can still make a Garganta and use your sonido. Using anything like a cero or bala would be a poor decision. It could cause your body to deteriorate, and the seal I put on you would weaken or break altogether.” So, his Zanpakuto will be his primary weapon, of course. The fourth detested using his sword on unworthy opponents. It was beneath him when he could, in truth, destroy an enemy in a single physical blow. “It would also give away the fact that you’re a hollow, and we can’t have that.” Aizen explained.

“I understand, Sir,” the fourth responded. “I’ll refrain from using those attacks.”

“That would be the best course of action, Ulquiorra, but, since you have exceptional control over reishi. You could, in theory, learn kido if you wanted to. It would take much practice, but it could be beneficial in the grand scheme of things.” Aizen finished, peering back at Ulquiorra.

Battle like a soul reaper? Preposterous. He is a hollow, not one of those self-sacrificing pieces of trash. “If it is beneficial to you, I’ll take learning Kido into consideration, Lord Aizen,” he said with his typical expressionless voice.

His master stepped towards him, “Excellent, Ulquiorra,” he said, resting his hand atop of the Espada’s head. “Now, I must seal away every trace that would incriminate you as a hollow,” he started.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, listening to his master’s chant. It was oddly calming, or was it the spell taking hold of him? He wasn’t sure, but he could feel a strange energy envelop him as his master’s words grew soft enough where he only heard a varying hum. That was the last sound the fourth heard before his consciousness slipped into a welcoming void of darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I feel that the main reason Arrancar don't use kido is because they weren't taught how to, they do have the ability to control reishi don't they? If you really think about it visored's can use cero's, being that they are soul reapers with hollow powers. An Arrancar is a hollow with soul reaper powers so I think they could if they trained enough. Therefore, in my story, Arrancars can use Kido if they learned. Anyway, I hope this doesn't make anyone too mad. Have a great day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated chapter 1. You don't really need to reread it, a few little fixes, and I added a small conversation with Ulquiorra and Szayelaporro. Basically, I just wanted to clear things up. Ulquiorra has 2 bodies. A disguise for his soul form and a gigai to run around playing human. Hopefully, I'm making sense. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Ulquiorra regained consciousness several hours later and is being inspected again before entering the world of the living. Everything had to be perfect in order for this to work. “Incredible, Captain Aizen,” Gin Ichimaru complimented, walking around the Espada. “I certainly would think he’s an ordinary soul reaper if I didn’t know any better.” The fourth closed his eyes. He didn’t care for Gin on the best of days, and him continuously pointing out that he isn’t any different than a soul reaper now only lessened his opinion of him. “Even his soul ribbon changed to red.”

Aizen nodded from a few feet away, looking through a few books and jotting things down on white parchment. “Like I said earlier, for this plan to work, it was crucial to mask every detail that may incriminate him as a hollow. No matter how small it was.” A soft click echoed through the room when his master closed several books. Then he gathered everything on the small table and placed them into a black messenger bag. “Ulquiorra?”

The Espada’s eyes locked on to Aizen, “Yes, Sir?”

“Here,” Aizen held out the bag to him, “This bag contains information you’ll need to get through day to day life during your mission. I also placed several instructional books on learning kido. If an ordinary human looks at it, they’ll see a generic encyclopedia volume, but use caution when reading them anyways.” Ulquiorra nodded, taking the bag and placing it over his shoulder.

“I will,” Ulquiorra stated, shoving his hands back into his pockets as his body shifted to accommodate the added weight.

“What a good Espada you are,” Gin teased, placing his arms in his sleeves and stopped next to Aizen. “You’re so obedient.”

“My only purpose is to serve Lord Aizen to the best of my abilities. Disobedience is disrespectful and pointless.” Gin’s snake-like smile broadened, but he remained quiet.

“You may go, Ulquiorra,” the fourth nodded his head as he snapped his fingers, opening a Garganta. “Take it easy for your first few days, so you can adjust to your body,” Aizen suggested as Ulquiorra stepped into the darkness and out of sight.

The Espada retrieved his gigai from the designated location and slipped it on. He now wandered down a road towards Karakura town trying to adjust himself to a second faux body. His pace was slow, and his breathing somewhat heavy. The added weight from the gigai was cumbersome and inconvenient. He felt ridiculous, wandering about this world, knowing that the humans around can both see and interact with him.

Ulquiorra glanced up at the darkening sky as the wind rustled through his hair, finally entering Karakura. It’s strange viewing it in the human world. It changed so much rather than remaining black like in Hueco Mundo. He broke his stare as soft chatter and other sounds from the people around passed through his ears. “Oh, hi there, you wanna free sample?” A woman with a tray of small portions of meat asked. The Espada merely ignored her and continued onwards, hearing the woman mutter something about him being rude.

The first objective he needed to complete was finding the place he’ll be residing at for this mission’s duration. He shuffled through the pocket on his bag, pulling out a small folded sheet of paper with the address on it, not that it helped much considering he isn’t sure where to find it in the first place. He stopped, staring at the paper in his hands, unsure of his next move. Was he supposed to ask one of these pieces of trash where this place is? He closed his eyes, his grip tightening on the paper. Ridiculous. Help from those creatures isn’t necessary, and it will _never_ be necessary.

“Excuse me,” a chipper, high-pitched voice started. Of course, another annoying human decided to come and pester him. “Are you lost?” The fourth opened his eyes, warily side glancing towards the irritating voice. There stood a girl about four or five inches shorter than he was, innocently staring at him. She has long, auburn hair with her bangs swooped behind her ears. “You must be lost! I can tell by the way you keep staring at that paper,” she concluded, clasping her hands behind her back then smiled. “Sometimes I get lost too! Once I was heading home after school, and I had to go to a store I hadn’t gone to before. So, I took a lot of wrong turns and—”

“Annoying.” The Espada looked away from her, stepping forwards, and headed onwards down the street.

“Oh, sorry. Sometimes I talk too much, and then people start thinking I’m weird, hahaha,” the girl giggled, falling in step next to Ulquiorra, much to his dismay. He locked his eyes on the space in front of him, trying to ignore the babbling pest to his left. “You probably think I’m weird now, too, huh? Anyway, I could help you find the place you’re looking for. I’m sure I could find it,” she pressed, leaning over to read the paper he held. “Oh, it’s that old apartment building on the other side of town. You’re going the wrong way. No wonder you’re having so much trouble.” The girl laughed, turning around and pointing in the opposite direction.

The fourth peered at the girl behind him as she continuously pointed down the street. “You’re aware of this place’s location?” he asked monotonously.

The girl nodded enthusiastically, tilting her head to the side. “Uh-huh,” she smiled, “It’s a bit of a walk, though; we’ll be passing my favorite bakery too! That’s actually the reason I’m out right now.” Ulquiorra blinked, neatly placing the sheet of paper back in his bag and uncomfortably stuffing his hands into his denim pants pockets. “I’ll buy you a tasty doughnut as a welcome to Karakura gift—”

“The only thing I’m interested in is locating my residence, not your pointless patronage, woman,” the Espada interrupted. He didn’t want her help, or anyone’s for that matter. He only wanted to complete his first objective, not waste his time dealing with human trash.

The girl’s eyes watered as she looked to the ground and spoke quietly, “I’m sorry.” Her demeanor changed, and the slight glistening in her eyes vanished as she skipped a few steps backward. “Let’s get you home then!” she declared, marching in the direction where she’d pointed earlier.

Why is she so persistent in trying to help him? He is a complete stranger; she owes him absolutely nothing, so why won’t she just leave him alone? There’s no point in meddling in other people’s problems, especially when it’s of no concern to them. What benefits would she gain from her actions in the first place? It is illogical. The Espada wondered as he followed several paces behind the girl, watching as she contently ambled forwards. Humans are truly baffling creatures.

The pair entered a small park and strolled on the empty dirt path. “The sky is beautiful tonight,” the girl began, absentmindedly staring upwards. He merely glanced at it, noting that it nearly matched the dark shade of his home world, except for the millions of twinkling dots that littered the black abyss above. “When I was a little girl, my brother and I would stargaze. We looked at all the constellations and see who could name the most—”

“How much farther?” her rambling was beginning to get under his skin.

The girl blinked. “Oh, we’re almost there,” she slowed her pace, coyly scratching her head. “What’s your name?” she asked, falling in step with him once again.

“Why do you ask?”

The woman blinked, “I gotta call you something, right? I mean, ‘hey you’ or ‘man’ or uhh…It’s just nicer to call someone by their name,” she explained, her smile never vanishing. “Oh, b-but you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to!” Her arms flailed as her face turned bright red. “Haha, but my name’s Orihime Inoue.”

Ulquiorra’s eyes widened slightly. This woman is one of the humans that invaded the Soul Society with the substitute soul reaper Ichigo Kurosaki. Perhaps meeting her here will prove useful after all—“Umm, if-if you follow this path out of the park and turn left you’ll eventually come to the building. It’s tall and old looking,” she stopped, taking a few steps on to the grass away from the path. Ulquiorra stopped as well and stared at her, regarding the miserably weak spirituals pressures drawing near. “Really, y-you should get going, right now,” she urged, pointing in the direction of the park’s exit.

An animalistic howl echoed through the area, causing the girl to spin around and take a defensive stance, “You need to run, NOW!” her voice pleaded as a winged hollow swooped at her. “Santen Kesshun, I reject!” Three little beams of light flew from the two hairpins on her head and created an orange shield, successfully repelling the hollow’s first attack. “HURRY! LEAVE!” the woman hollered desperately, rolling out of the hollows path. “Koten Zanshun, I reject!” a single beam shot from her hairpin, splitting the hollow in two.

She skidded to a stop with her back to him, taking on an offensive stance. “Why are you still here?”

“Why does it matter to you?” he questioned, staring directly at the lowly hollow that howled in the distance. The monster charged at Orihime, but the orange shield blocked its attack again. Interesting. He’d never seen such a strange means of defense and offense before. Her power seemed to emit from the small hairpins on her head, similar to a Zanpakuto. She requires a more in-depth analysis. He decided, watching her dodge several other attacks before finally destroying the hollow.

“That’s an unusual power you have, woman.” Orihime’s eyes widened as she panted heavily.

“You, you can see the hollows?!” She asked, her voice full of surprise.

The fourth closed his eyes, making his way towards her, ignoring the question, “Those hairpins.” He stopped a mere foot from her, staring at the gleaming accessories on her head. “They are the source of your powers, are they not?”

Her hands flew to them defensively, “Well, yes. I’d be just a normal person if I didn’t have—”

Sharp claws slashed at them, making Orihime fall to the ground clutching her side as she bled, while the fourth stumbled backward several paces as blood trickled from his shoulder. Damn this gigai. The body’s reaction time is slow and stiff, making his response to its attacks slower than they should’ve been.

It howled as its masked face locked its sights on Ulquiorra. “Huh? That attack should’ve cut you in two!” the creature cried, standing to full height, charging at him. “This time I won’t—AHHHH!” its pained scream nearly deafened him. Orihime attacked it again, slicing through its arms that now lay twitching on the ground. Ulquiorra glanced back at the girl who stood up on her shaky legs, clutching her blood-drenched side.

“I’ll protect you!” she declared, her spirit pressure rising as she sent out another attack, slashing down its stomach this time. The hollow backed away, screeching as blood poured from its wounds. “No,” she fell to her knee, holding her stomach. “That didn’t…finish it?” Tears rolled down her face, her expression full of pain.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, reaching for the small pill Aizen had given him earlier. That girl must be thoroughly observed before she can die, he thought as he popped the pill into his mouth, releasing him from his body. His master may also be interested in her strange powers, another reason she cannot die just yet, or at least until he reports to Aizen first. “Watch the girl,” he commanded as his gigai moved to her side.

“You’re a soul reaper?” the hollow spat, spitting blood from its mouth. “Whatever, your soul will just taste better when I devour it!”

“Trash,” he stated, drawing Murciélago from its sheath, and sliced through its mask faster than the eye could see.

The hollow stared as the Espada sheathed his sword, “Why you puttin’ your sword awa—”

He watched as the hollow dispersed into nothingness. He shouldn’t have had to use his Zanpakuto on such a worthless opponent. “You’re a soul reaper?” Orihime’s voice echoed through the air and into his ears.

Ulquiorra’s hands balled in his shihakusho’s pockets, his face remaining expressionless. How he despised being recognized as one of those creatures. Then again, what else is the girl supposed to think? He looked just like one and carried a Zanpakuto too. Even his spiritual pressure gave off the impression that he is, indeed, a soul reaper. “No,” he stated simply, turning to face her. His eyes widened slightly with interest. Another power of hers? He questioned, watching the gaping wound on her stomach begin closing. As a matter of fact, everything under the golden-orange dome slowly returned to its original state. Even her ripped and bloodied clothes were returning to what they were before.

He kneeled in front of her, observing the glowing dome. “How interesting,” he commented as she finished healing the gash. “You not only healed your wound; you also reverted your clothing back to its original state.” She smiled up at him, nodding her head. He wanted to observe the technique once more. He needed to understand what she was doing when she used that _healing_ spell.

“It really comes in handy when my friends get hurt,” the woman started, rising back to her feet. “That’s about all I’m good for, though, hehe,” her tone dropped at the end, scratching her head in embarrassment. “I’m not very good at fighting. I try my best to avoid it whenever possible.” Her eyes lowered to the ground, “And when I do fight, someone always has to come and save me. Like you did just now.” The last part of her comment was quiet, and her lip quivered slightly.

“I didn’t save you,” Ulquiorra clarified as he grabbed his body and merged with it again, which was just as irritating as it was the first time. The wound on his shoulder isn’t making things any better either. “I killed the hollow because it targeted me. You merely benefited from my actions, and that requires payment.” This is a perfect opportunity to observe her healing powers again.

“P-Payment? I don’t have very much money—”

“Use that technique of yours on my wound, and you will no longer owe me anything, woman,” he commanded, his cold gaze focused on her as she stood back to her feet.

“That sounds fair,” Orihime smiled, stepping in front of him and stopped a little less than arm’s length. “Sōten Kisshun, I reject.” Her voice was soft to his ears, he noted and watched a small dome appear over his shoulder. The area enveloped by it felt warm and rejuvenating, not a sensation the Espada is very familiar with. Soon the pain too had vanished along with his wound. Like Orihime’s, his shirt also returned back to what it looked like before the battle. “There you go, all better now.” She smiled as the dome vanished, making her hairpins whole again.

Ulquiorra rolled his shoulder, inspecting it for any problems. There were none. Actually, that area of his body was the only area that didn’t feel heavy and stiff. Too bad the rest of his body remained in that state, though. He turned his attention back to Orihime. “You’re a strange girl,” he commented, falling back into his usual stance.

“Oh, you really think so? So many people tell me that, especially when I talk about my dreams and goals. They say I have an overactive imagination that makes up weird stories and…”

Did this woman ever stop rambling? Ulquiorra wondered as she spieled on and on about her friends, but one choice topic continued to surface over and over again, Ichigo Kurosaki. So, he listened to her for a bit longer, hoping she’d spit out something useful. However, she only told him pointless information about Ichigo. And he thought Yammy gave meaningless longwinded speeches about idiotic matters. Yet, this human easily beat him, as her mouth still hasn’t stopped. “…Tatsuki told me he plays the guitar, but not in front of anyone ‘cause he has to act cool. But I think playing the guitar is really cool, and he should—” Ulquiorra quickly spun on his heel, heading in the direction she’d told him to go earlier when the hollows appeared. “Huh, where are you going?”

“To my residence.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Orihime apologized, catching up with him yet again. “I almost forgot you’re new here and don’t know where anything is and—”

“If you wish to walk with me, then refrain from speaking.”

“Okey-dokey,” she said, running two fingers over her mouth as if there were as zipper there. An odd behavior, but if it kept her from babbling like Yammy, he wouldn’t question it.

Thankfully, for the rest of their walk, Orihime didn’t make so much as a peep. She merely sauntered contently next to him with a smile on her face. If she knew what she was actually walking next to, she’d be cowering in fear right now. That aside, now that she’s silent, her presence beside him wasn’t as irritating as the babbling idiot that followed him around Las Noches like a lost dog. “Were here,” she proclaimed, standing in front of a tall, aged building. “Now, let’s find your apartment!” she ran through the wide glass doors excitedly. He closed his eyes, entering the building in a more dignifying manner than she did.

Orihime was talking to an old woman behind a desk when he passed the threshold. “Yeah, he just moved here and has an apartment waiting for him,” she nodded to the woman before looking back at him, her smile still intact. “She needs your name so she can give you the key and apartment number.”

The fourth stopped at the desk, “Ulquiorra Schiffer.” the old woman nodded at him, reaching into a small drawer before handing a little silver key with a small paper stuck to it reading four-hundred and forty-four. Perhaps this is Aizen’s form of a joke. No, seems more like something Ichimaru would do. He brushed the thought aside, placing the key in his pocket, and headed for the stairs.

The woman continued following him until they stood outside his door. “You have a really cool sounding name. _Ulquiorra Schiffer_. I’ve never heard anything like it before,” she complimented, staring at the wooden door in front of them. “Well,” she scratched her head, “I guess I should leave and let you get settled in, Ulquiorra.” She giggled a bit. “Your name’s fun to say!”

“You were leaving, woman,” the Espada reminded, making her face turn an odd shade of red as she apologized several times over. His nerves began to fray as he came to the end of his patience with the pesky human girl.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, I’m just glad we found your home,” she turned away, taking several steps towards the stairs. “If you want, I can be your first friend here.” Ulquiorra stared at her. Friend? She turned back around, her eyes gleaming with something he didn’t understand. “It can be pretty lonely starting out somewhere new, especially if you don’t have any people around to talk to.”

Ulquiorra opened his door, looking away from the girl as he spoke, “I don’t require meaningless relationships,” he said, promptly entering his room, leaving Orihime standing alone in the hall.

He didn’t want a relationship of any kind, especially from a human. What purpose would it serve anyway? He was only in the living world to observe the substitute soul reaper and those close to him. He refused to trifle with menial human customs. The fourth exhaled softly, he needed to rest, having endured enough physical and mental exhaustion for one day. Perhaps tomorrow would be less tiring and more productive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. Have a wonderful day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for taking so long to update. A lot happened during the holidays, and afterward, I got really sick. Not only that, I rewrote this chapter a total of eight times. I kept not liking the way it sounded and scraped them. The seventh one was perfect, only needed revision. However, I wrote it on my Ipad (pages app), and it deleted the whole thing! I almost gave up, but I pushed through and wrote this. It's a bit lengthier than previous chapters, but I really got into it after all the heartache I dealt with.
> 
> Anyway enough about my drama, I hope you enjoy it.

It is early evening in the world of the living, and Ulquiorra strolled towards his apartment building, sweat beading down the side of his face. It is hot and uncomfortable. While living in the hollow world, he never dealt with such heat, even under Las Noches’s canopy. Ulquiorra wiped his brow, entering the building, which was a mind-blowing three degrees cooler. Not an ideal temperature for him at all, but slightly less irritating than outside.

Regardless of his discomfort, he needed to perfect the most basic of the Kidō spells, refusing to rely solely on Murciélago to fight his opponents. He wiped his head again, staring at the sweat on the back of his hand. He could alter his training time to late evening to avoid the blazing heat the sun cast down. “Ting-ting-ting,” Ulquiorra glanced at the wooden object under his arm, his eyes narrowing as it continued chiming.

This object has been most annoying the past few days, with its continuous chiming every thirty minutes or so. Why do humans keep these noisy things around? At least make them silent. He pushed past the door to the fourth floor, and his irritation only worsened.

“Knock, Knock!” The auburn-haired girl sung, grinning merrily. Ulquiorra stopped several paces from her, watching as she knocked again. “Hello? Are you home, Ulquiorra?” She questioned the door, fidgeting with her hands.

“Technically, no, I’m not home,” he responded curtly. The girl practically jumps out of her skin, clutching her chest as if she’d been harmed. “I’m in no mood for visitors, so if—”

“You’re all sweaty looking. Were you training?” She bounded over to him, clasping her hands behind her back with a smile. Now starts her rapid queue of statements and questions, he thought bitterly to himself. “Oh, and what’s with the clock under your arm? If you needed to know the time, you could’ve gotten a wristwatch! Ooh, there’s a small store you—”

“Enough yammering, woman, what do you want?” Orihime blinked, taking a timid step back as he headed to his door, unlocking it. What possible business does she have here? And why now of all times did she choose to bother him? He side-glanced at her, watching as she fiddled with her hair with a slightly perturbed expression on her face.

Ulquiorra entered his apartment, leaving the door ajar, waiting for her to spit out whatever she needs to tell him. He placed the slightly singed wooden clock back on the wall in his small sitting room. He peered back at Orihime, who stared inside, pulling on a long strand of hair. “I rather not smell like sweat anymore, so state your reasoning for bothering me. I won’t ask you again.” He turned towards her.

Orihime chuckled, rubbing her head. “Oh yeah, sorry, I just wanted to know that...umm...wait, I mean,” she took several steps inside the room. “My friends and I are going to a café soon, and I want you to come with us,” she proclaimed, pointing at him. The Espada stared blankly at her. Café? What is a café? “I thought it would be nice for you to meet them.” She glanced away, biting her lip. “You...you may not like me very much, but I’m really sure you’ll get along with, or a least be able to relate to Ichigo.” Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes slightly, studying her. “He’s a Soul Reaper like you,” she said with a small smile.

“I am not a Soul Reaper.” She raised a brow but remained silent. His hollow powers may currently be sealed, but as long as he stayed here, he refused to be lumped together with _them_. “What is your objective, woman?” He questioned, eyes never leaving hers.

“The other day, when I met your eyes, I felt a deep-rooted sadness—” she rubbed one of her eyes— “that’s why I wanted to help you so much. They say a little bit of kindness goes a long way; you know.” She frowned, stepping little more than arms-length away from him. “I don’t know what may have happened to you, but no one should have to feel like that.” Ulquiorra blinked. How he feels—or lack thereof—doesn’t concern this girl. Dwelling on meaningless emotions wouldn’t benefit his mission at all; it would only be time wasted.

Several silent minutes passed by before he spoke again, his tone just as cold as his stone expression. “Woman, if you wait a bit longer, I will accompany you to the…café.”

Orihime blinked as her kind, and bubbly aura filled the room. “Really? Oh, I’m so excited! I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. They’ll brighten your mood right up!” She raised her arms in the air, proceeding to twirl and hop about. He blinked. What in the world is she doing? Perhaps agreeing to go with her wasn’t in his best interest if she decided to act like a lunatic.

In truth, he isn’t attending this café—whatever that may be—to appease her. It is actually a golden opportunity to naturally make contact with the rest of his targets, even if it meant having to mingle amongst humans in the masses. He also needed a more solidified first report for Aizen. Merely informing him of the girl’s strange powers wouldn’t be substantial enough as she isn’t his primary target. Then again, she did negate both her wounds and his wounds, which is worth noting—

“Are you okay?” A skin-colored blur passed his eyes several times before he focused back on the girl. “You must have really been thinking hard about something,” she laughed softly, tilting her head to the side, her gray eyes locking with his. “It happens to me all the time. There’s just so much to think about, so I end up getting carried away into my thoughts and can’t escape sometimes. Then I even start acting out my daydreams too…” she laughed and continued spewing pointless comments and scenarios about her thought process.

The fourth closed his eyes, wishing he had thread and a needle. He even contemplated ripping the woman’s vocal cords out so she would stop her endless chatter. However, that may not be a wise decision on his part. “Alright, enough,” Ulquiorra’s voice cut through the air like a knife, thankfully silencing the girl in the process. “Sit there.” He pointed to the small white sofa across the room. She nodded with a smile and obliged, sitting down with her hands folded neatly on her lap. “Don’t touch anything, don’t go exploring, just sit there and wait,” he ordered firmly.

The woman nodded. “Okey-dokey, I’ll be right here when you’re done,” she sung, turning her gaze to the open window across from her with a small smile.

He watched the woman for a brief second, assuring that she’d stay put before collecting fresh garments, and proceeded to his bathroom to quickly wash himself. The less time he left her unsupervised in his residence, the better. Even if he doesn’t believe she’d nose about his apartment. The act wouldn’t match her personality.

The fourth quickly dressed himself, collecting the small square card holder that contained his human identification card, the human’s currency in paper bills, and another plastic card. The last thing he checked for was the gikongan in the small zipper pocket on the back. He nodded, placing the leathery square in his back pocket, and proceeded back to the sitting room.

The woman remained in the same spot on the couch, her head swaying gently back and forth to a tune she hummed, oblivious to the world around her. Perhaps remaining in such a state is the main reason she is always so content. Then again, ignorance is bliss, or so he’s heard.

After another minute, she regarded the Espada’s presence with a small smile. “Wow,” she began, standing up, “you took almost no time in there at all! It takes me almost an hour because I—”

“Your hygienic routine is of no interest to me, woman.” Orihime’s cheeks darkened slightly, vigorously rubbing her neck. Ulquiorra headed passed the threshold, waiting next to his door while the woman scurried out as well. “Now,” he began as a click echoed through the hall after locking his door, “lead the way to this… _café_.”

The auburn-haired girl nodded, skipping to the exit. “Ooh, I can’t wait. We’re gonna have so much fun,” she proclaimed excitedly, disappearing into the stairwell. Ulquiorra merely blinked. _Fun_ , she says. The only _fun_ he’ll partake in is the extraction of information from her group of friends.

The outside hadn’t cooled much since his training, much to the Espada’s annoyance. He wiped his brow, keeping the small beads of sweat from dripping in his eyes. Is it because he is in a gigai that the heat is irking him to such a degree? And he thought the excess weight and stiffness was troublesome enough.

He glanced at the woman strolling next to him. She’d been relatively quiet since leaving, only speaking when they passed a store she frequented. She is especially fond of places that sell small pastries with holes cut in the center called _donuts_. The shop _Handin Donuts_ is her favorite, claiming they have countless flavors and types of pastries. Ulquiorra closed his eyes, contemplating how she consumed such vast amounts of nutrients yet remained so slender.

The fourth’s eyes widened slightly, noticing a slight fluctuation in spiritual pressure as he and the woman stopped in front of a pair of frosted glass doors. There are several brightly colored papers pasted on the windows, advertising human nutrients. “We’re here,” she sung, entering the quaint building. Ulquiorra reluctantly followed her, entering a warmly lit and sparsely decorated room. The air inside is crisp and cool, far more tolerable than that of the outdoors.

He observed the woman as she spoke to a male human dressed in black, staring impishly at her as he made several poorly worded comments regarding the woman’s appearance. Apparently, humans also lack self-control when dealing with someone of the opposite sex, he deduced, recalling several statements he overheard back in Las Noches. Thankfully most knew his lack of interest in the subject and avoided saying lewd comments directly to him. He brushed the thoughts aside, noting that Orihime began walking away.

As he took a step forward, he felt a cool breeze circle his body from above. He curiously peered up, noting a rectangular vent. How intriguing. Humans managed to construct a mechanism that successfully cools an interior room. So, this is how they adapted to the heat produced from the sun—

“Ulquiorra?” He pulled himself from his thoughts, staring at the girl indifferently. “Are you coming?” She asked softly, playing with a lock of hair that fell over her shoulder.

Ulquiorra glanced back up. “It’s…cold here,” he stated simply, pointing up at the metal vent. Soft giggles echoed through the room. He peered back at the woman, his brow furrowing slightly as she pressed her hand to her mouth in a futile attempt to stifle her laughter. “I find nothing remotely amusing, woman.” He calmly strode towards her.

“You, HAHA, you looked…so silly standing there, staring at the AC vent.” She managed to somewhat recompose herself. “Anyways, Ichigo, Uryu, and Chad are waiting, come on.” She turned around, walking further inside. AC, he’ll need to inquire about purchasing one.

The woman skipped towards a tall booth in the far corner of the room, isolated from the few occupied tables. He blinked, stopping next to her, listening to the orange-haired boy—he presumed to be Ichigo Kurosaki—argue with the boy donning glasses. “Hi, Chad,” the woman greeted the only silent person at the table. He waved at her, scooting closer to Uryu to give her room to sit. “This is my new friend Ulquiorra—” she gestured at the Espada— “Ulquiorra, this is Chad.” Chad acknowledged him with a nod. “You can sit here,” the woman said, patting the space on the booth next to her. He obliged, sitting down with his back straight and his hands neatly clasped on his lap. She smiled at him before turning to Chad, inquiring why the Soul Reaper and the Quincy fought.

Ulquiorra peered between the pair across the table, Ichigo occasionally slamming his fist down as if to emphasize the point he’s trying to make. “…oh, just shut up already, Uryu!” Ichigo chided, his brow twitching irately. “Your constant nagging is—”

CRASH!

Ulquiorra’s eyes widened as a cold liquid gushed over the edge of the table, soaking his pants. His brow twitched as his body shivered involuntarily while the Soul Reaper and the Quincy gawked in his general direction. Fools. He declared, beginning to regret accompanying the girl next to him.

The table jutted forward as the woman hopped up from her seat, “AH! C-COLD!” she shouted, her body trembling from the ice water coating her right leg.

“Wh—Orihime? When’d you—eh, never mind! Uh…excuse me!” Ichigo frantically waved over a girl dressed in black, explaining they needed towels.

“Now look what you did, Ichigo,” Uryu accused as he sat the now empty pitcher upright. “You spilled water all over Orihime and,” he turned his attention to Ulquiorra. The fourth merely side-glanced at him before returning to sopping up the water on his lap. “Her…friend…” the Quincy’s eyes narrowed at him.

Ichigo shot Uryu a glare, handing the woman his napkin. “I’m sorry, Orihime, and…uhh—”

“This is Ulquiorra. Remember I told you about him the other day,” she explained, taking his napkin and patting the large wet spot on her leg. Ichigo blinked, nodding in understanding.

The fourth looked at her, wondering if she’d told the Soul Reaper about the little skirmish in the park. She showed no restraint revealing Ichigo’s powers to him, not that it mattered; he’d find out eventually. “Uh…yeah, I remember,” he started, rubbing the base of his neck. “He got lost or something, and you helped him.” The woman nodded, wiping off her seat.

“Here you go,” Ulquiorra turned his attention to the new voice. She held a small stack of white towels in one hand while she offered him one with the other. He took it, continuing his futile attempt to soak up the remaining liquid on his waterlogged pants. He closed his eyes, forcing his body to halt its shivering. He disliked this gigai and its poor temperature regulation. “Alright,” the serving girl began as she finished drying the table. “While I’m here, I might as well take your orders.” She smiled, turning her attention to Ulquiorra. “So, what’ll it be?” she asked, pulling a pad of paper and a pen from the pocket of her apron.

Ulquiorra blinked, “What’ll what be?” he asked monotonously, staring at the serving girl.

She raised a brow, tapping the pen on the paper. “Your order, Sir.”

“…”

She sighed, placing one hand on her hip. “Hello?” her voice held a harsh undertone to it, rolling her eyes. “What’ll you have to drink?”

“Tea,” Ulquiorra said.

“Tea. Got it,” she muttered, scribbling on her pad, before staring back at him. “And?”

“…” What more did she want from him? He questioned, glancing around the table, noting how the other occupants stared at him with baffled expressions—aside from Uryu, he simply glared at him. His brows knitted together, irritated at his lack of knowledge for something so obviously basic…for humans anyway.

She flung her arms at her sides, clenching her fists as her expression darkened. “Don’t you want a sandwich or something to go with your tea, Sir?”

Ulquiorra nodded. To properly maintain this body, he’d need to consume other nutritious foods and not only the rice balls that lined the shelves in his refrigeration unit. He doubted they had much nutritional value, to begin with. “Yes.”

“Okay, what kind?” She asked, preparing to write again.

“…”

The serving girl glared at him. “The menu is on this wall,” she growled, pointing at a colorful board several feet from the table. “Read through it while I take your friends’ orders.” She turned to Ichigo first, asking him what he wanted.

Ulquiorra read through the board, which only confused him. He doesn’t know what anything is, aside from water, several teas, and rice balls, and there are multiple types of those. Why do humans require such a wide variety of food if it’s simply used as energy for the body? In truth, one specific meal containing the correct nutrients is all that’s required to function correctly.

“You’re thinking pretty hard over there,” the Soul Reaper commented. “I think I can see the smoke coming from your head.” He has no idea.

Ulquiorra peered at him. “I’m unsure of which combination of food and beverage to purchase.”

Ichigo nodded, scratching his head. “I’m getting curry. It’s good. Why don’t you try that since you don’t know what you want?” he offered.

“No, I think trying the Mackerel Miso Soup is best, in my opinion,” Uryu interjected, pushing up his glasses. “It may not be homemade, but it’s good.”

“What? That stuff smells funny, Uryu. You trying to trick him?” Ichigo accused.

“I was giving a suggestion! I didn’t say he _had_ to get it!” the Quincy retorted, folding his arms over his chest.

“Well, your suggestions don’t matter if they suck!” The Soul Reaper griped, placing a hand on the side of his mouth, blocking out the other boy. “Just ignore him. It’s what everyone else does.”

“I can still hear you, Ichigo!”

Why is his master intrigued by these humans? Ichigo isn’t much of a threat even with the spiritual pressure he possessed, and the Quincy didn’t have any, to begin with. Even with most of his powers sealed, Yasutora Sado’s presence is weak in comparison. He’d need to observe them in a battle to gain a more accurate assessment of their current abilities. Even the Quincy may have some surprises he’s unaware of. Ulquiorra then glanced at the woman, who shook her head in disdain as Ichigo and Uryu argued across the table. She may lack power. However, her abilities are versatile and can be used in a multitude of different situations.

“It’s hot outside,” the dark-skinned boy stated, capturing everyone’s attention. “So, a cold cut sub…with tomatoes.” Ichigo smirked, muttering something along the lines of it being Chad’s typical choice when they came here.

“Ooh! Ooh!” the woman interjects, bouncing around in her seat. “Since everyone else gave you suggestions, here’s mine. Okay, you need to get…” She spewed many different things, her words running together, forming a gibberish mess Ulquiorra couldn’t begin to understand. He mustn’t have been the only one confounded by her words, considering the strained and somewhat nauseous gazes of her friends. Even the serving girl stared at her oddly. “…and you cannot forget the red bean paste, it’s essential. Or the wasabi and ice cream. It’s so yummy!”

The serving girl finished jotting down Orihime’s order before turning back to Ulquiorra with narrow eyes. “What do you want, Sir?” she asked once again, her grip on her pen causing her knuckles to turn white.

“I require a cup of black tea, and,” he peered around the table. He disregarded the woman’s suggestion as it contained too many different food combinations, and he didn’t want to overstimulate his sense of taste—

“And?” The serving girl grumbled.

“…the…curry he ordered,” Ulquiorra pointed at Ichigo, who smirked triumphantly and gloated to the Quincy next to him. The serving girl quickly wrote it down and practically sprinted away from the table and disappeared.

“…just shut up, Ichigo,” Uryu grumbled and turned his narrow eyes back at the Espada. “So, Ulquiorra, what made you come here…to Karakura town that is?” he questioned, staring Ulquiorra down.

“My reason for coming here is none of your concern,” he retorted, shoving his hands in his still damp pockets, returning a blank expression towards the boy.

Uryu eyed him suspiciously, leaning back against the booth. “Then where’d you come from?”

“That is also of no importance to you.” Ulquiorra blinked, an interrogation, how fitting. He expected that at least one of Ichigo’s friends would be suspicious of him. Uryu most likely sensed his spiritual pressure or looked at his soul ribbon’s color. Not answering is only making his suspicions grow. However, making something up without a solid grasp on how humans live could prove dangerous and create more problems for him later.

“Just answer the questions. They’re not hard—”

“Come on, Uryu,” Ichigo chimed in, “there’s no point in breaking his arm if he doesn’t want to answer your questions. We just met the guy.”

Uryu sighed and shook his head. “I see you’re just as incompetent as usual, Ichigo.”

“Huh? What’d you—”

“Here you all go.” The serving girl appeared next to the table, quickly setting square dishes in front of everyone. “I hope you enjoy,” she grumbled, quickly glaring at Ulquiorra before heading off.

“Tsk, what’s her problem?” Ichigo muttered to himself as he started eating.

Ulquiorra observed the steaming plate with a chunky, brownish-red broth sloshed over a pile of white rice. Growl. He blinked, placing a hand on his midsection feeling slight movement. Is this what hunger feels like? He doesn’t remember the last time he’d eaten, as it is pointless being an Arrancar.

A small tap on his left arm pulled him from his thoughts. He side-glanced at the smiling woman. “Your food’s going to get cold if you just stare at it, plus your stomach is talking. You need to fill it to make it happy.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, returning to her meal.

The Espada picked up the silver utensil, scooping up a small bite at first, then a more generous second one, and a third…and a fourth until not a spec of rice remained. Sure enough, the strange noises stopped but were replaced by a slight discomfort in his abdomen. Perhaps he overfilled himself after devouring the meal. “Told you the curry here was good.”

Ulquiorra wiped his face with a dry napkin. “It was acceptable,” he stated plainly, sipping at his Tea.

Ichigo smirked as he placed his cutlery down with a small ting. “Acceptable? You scarfed that down like you haven’t eaten in a month.” The irony, Ulquiorra pondered, hearing the scrapes stopping as everyone finished their food. Just then, the serving girl dropped a narrow sheet of paper in front of Ichigo, scurrying away before anyone could say anything to her.

“Ichigo, how much did my food come to?” Orihime asked as she pulled a small worn bag from her front pocket.

Ichigo waved her off. “Eh, don’t worry about it. I’ll pay for you and Ulquiorra as an apology. Though it was mostly Uryu’s fault,” he said, pointing his thumb at him before he dropped several paper bills on the table and stood up.

“My fault? If you weren’t banging on the table, that whole situation could’ve been avoided,” chastised Uryu as he scooted out from the booth.

Ulquiorra ignored the bickering pair as he stood from his seat, his pants still considerably wet and weighty. He simply wished to return to his residence and be done with this disorderly group for the time being. “Oh no,” the woman cried in dismay. The fourth turned to her, watching her miserable attempt to cover the wet part of her pants with her shirt. “You’re lucky, Ulquiorra, you have black pants on, so the water on you isn’t as noticeable.”

“Luck doesn’t exist—” he shoved his hands in his pockets— “It is water and water drys. So, refrain from fussing over it.”

The woman’s cheeks darkened as she straightened her posture. “Yeah, it’s only water,” she smiled, anxiously threading her fingers through her hair. Ulquiorra nodded, heading to the exit followed by Orihime and Chad, noting that Ichigo and Uryu had already left the building.

Ulquiorra shivered after stepping outside as a chilly wind greeted him. Only seconds later, his ears picked up on the Soul Reaper and Quincy’s raised voices. He sighed softly. “Enough,” the fourth started, stopping several paces away from them, earning perturbed stares. “This quarreling of yours is annoying,” his voice was calm and even as he watched them process his words.

Just as Ichigo’s mouth opened, the woman hopped in front of him. “You two are friends, right, so you shouldn’t be fighting like this,” she spoke soothingly. Ulquiorra watched as she pacified her friends. “See, don’t you feel better no—”

A massive wind blew through the street, nearly making the Espada lose his footing. What? He focused his eyes down the road where the gust had come from, noting an immense spiritual pressure flowing around him. There weren’t supposed to be any other Arrancar present in the world of the living, apart from himself. Aizen specifically made him aware of it.

Another gust smashed against him, knocking him to his knees, his arm blocking the wind from his face. Ulquiorra didn’t recognize the Arrancar’s spiritual pressure. He narrowed his eyes, concluding that someone wanted to jeopardize his mission…at least that is currently the most likely explanation. The Arrancar steadily grew closer, and the gusts came more frequently. Which one of them decided to toy with his mission? Grimmjow perhaps? He enjoyed making things difficult for him.

“Santen Kesshun!” the woman shouted as her shield appeared, blocking the wind. “W-what is that?” She questioned as everyone congregated safely around her.

Ulquiorra rose back to his feet, peering behind him. Ichigo discarded his human body—that lay awkwardly on the ground—in change for his shihakusho and Zanpakuto. His spiritual pressure seemed to fluctuate again, this time more violently. “I’ve never felt spiritual pressure like this before,” Ichigo stated, unsheathing his sword. “Chad, Uryu,” he began, glancing at his friends. “Stay here and protect Orihime and Ulquiorra.” Is he really this inept at sensing spiritual pressure? He is the last person who needs protection.

“What? You can’t just rush in there, Ichigo! We don’t know exactly what it is. We need to make a plan first,” Uryu countered.

Chad nodded his head, “Uryu’s right, Ichigo.” Ulquiorra watched with mild curiosity as a liquid-like substance coated Chad’s arm before forming into an armor of sorts. “We can help.”

Ichigo was quiet, looking away from them. “I don’t want you getting hurt,” he said softly, clutching his sword. The Quincy—with his lack of power—would only prove useful in strategic maneuvers. The other boy, he isn’t sure what that armor he has could do. Even so, the Arrancar would easily wound if not kill him. “I can’t risk you all getting hurt!” He half-shouted, taking off in the direction of the approaching Arrancar.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes. As unstable as he is, Ichigo is the only one of the four that has a small chance of winning against this opponent. However, he’d be near death afterward. The other three would simply be slaughtered. “Ulquiorra…” the woman called, her voice pleading. He turned to her, already aware of what she wanted. “…can you…can you help Ichigo win?”

The Espada knew things would come to this. He already felt Ichigo’s spiritual pressure flaring in distress, even after releasing his Bankai. How does the Soul Reaper expect to protect his friends when he can hardly protect himself from the trash he’s fighting? Ulquiorra retrieved the card holder from his pocket with a quiet sigh, recalling one of Aizen’s objectives. Keep Ichigo Kurosaki alive. “I will intervene, however—” he swallowed the Gikongan— “I’m not doing so because you asked.” He stepped away from his gigai, ordering it to stay in one piece.

“I knew it!” announced the Quincy as he pointed an accusing finger at him. “You are a Soul Reaper.”

Ulquiorra didn’t acknowledge the boy. Instead, he used his Sonido to close the gap between himself and the Arrancar. Aside from witnessing Ichigo Kurosaki’s abilities firsthand, he needed to figure out why the Arrancar is here in the first place. He stopped a fair distance away, watching as Ichigo was thrown into a building, shooting glass projectiles everywhere.

The bottom half of the Arrancar’s face was exposed while the rest of it was covered. Three red circles under its eyes stood out against the white of its mask. Ulquiorra’s brow furrowed at the familiar markings. Apparently, _she’s_ come back from her mission and knows his whereabouts.

Ulquiorra brushed aside the thought, raising his hand and pointing at the Arrancar’s white-clothed body, chanting the lengthy incantation. “…Hadō number four, Byakurai,” he finished monotonously as a blue bolt of energy erupted from his finger towards his target.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it. I tried to keep it light-hearted and attempted some humor. I figured Ulquiorra would get fairly confused in social situations considering he is a hollow, and only knows the basics about human life.
> 
> I also hope I didn't go overbored with Uryu and Ichigo's bickering, but I always found their relationship amusing in the show.
> 
> I'll see you next chapter!
> 
> P.S. a lot of Kido spells don't have known incantations so when they're used, I'll probably put an ellipse and say they said it. I have no idea how Kubo created them because in my head they sound like random words sloshed together to make a spell unless you squint then they...can make sense. I don't know that's just how I'm gonna do it.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: I feel that the main reason Arrancar don't use kido is because they weren't taught how to, they do have the ability to control reishi don't they? If you really think about it visored's can use cero's, being that they are soul reapers with hollow powers. An Arrancar is a hollow with soul reaper powers so I think they could if they trained enough. Therefore, in my story, Arrancars can use Kido if they learned. Anyway, I hope this doesn't make anyone too mad. Have a great day.


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